Rising CO₂ levels will make the upper atmosphere colder and thinner, altering how geomagnetic storms impact satellites.

Rising concentrations of carbon dioxide in the upper atmosphere will change the way geomagnetic storms impact Earth, with ...

He noted in a talk at the workshop that the projected lifetimes of the satellites had dropped from three years to just nine months. Six satellites reentered in 2023 because of atmospheric drag.

This reduces atmospheric drag, which is the force that naturally pulls old satellites and debris down to burn up. With less drag, space junk lingers for decades, increasing the risk of collisions.

The researchers found that geomagnetic activity—disturbances in the upper atmosphere triggered by solar eruptions—causes Starlinks to reenter Earth’s atmosphere sooner than expected. These ...

Usually, a decommissioned Starlink satellite can sit in orbit for about 15 days before atmospheric drag pulls it down. But over the past few months, that timeframe has been significantly reduced.

Specifically, that decrease in density reduces “atmospheric drag,” or a force that pulls old satellites and other debris down to altitudes where they will combust from interactions with air ...

While some of these satellites use onboard thrusters to deorbit, others fall naturally due to atmospheric drag. The Nasa scientists found that during geomagnetic storms, any satellite orbiting ...

Climate change will reduce the number of satellites that can safely orbit in space Increasing greenhouse gas emissions will reduce the atmosphere's ability to burn up old space junk Date: March 10 ...

The company's successful demonstration of its Dragster model during the Apollo Accelerator Cohort 4 led to this award. CHANTILLY, Va., Feb. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Orion Space Solutions (Orion ...